Understanding English Grammar, 9th Edition

Description

This market-leading text for grammar courses is a comprehensive description of sentence structure that encourages students to recognize and use their innate language expertise as they study the systematic nature of sentence grammar.

A practical blend of the most useful elements of both traditional and new linguistic grammar, the text emphasizes whole structures, most specifically the ten basic sentence patterns introduced in Chapter 3. Two key features separate this book from others: its clear organization and its user-friendly, accessible language. Both students and teachers appreciate the self-teaching quality that incremental exercises provide throughout the chapters, with answers at the end of the book.

Table of Contents

All chapters have Chapter Previews.

Preface

Part I

Introduction

1.The Study of Grammar: An Overview

English: A World Language

Three Definitions of Grammar

Traditional School Grammar

Modern Linguistics

Structural Grammar

Transformational Grammar

The Issue of Correctness

Language Variety

Language Change

Language in the Classroom

Key Terms

Further Reading

Part II: The Grammar of Basic Sentences

All chapters in Part II have Key Terms, Sentences for Practice, Questions for Discussion, and Classroom Applications

2. Words and Phrases

Form Classes

Nouns and Verbs

The Noun Phrase

The Verb Phrase

NP + VP = S

Adjectives and Adverbs

Prepositional Phrases

The Structure Classes

3. Sentence Patterns

Subjects and Predicates

The Sentence Slots

The Be Patterns

The Linking Verb Patterns

The Optional Slots

The Intransitive Verb Pattern

Exceptions to the Intransitive Pattern

Intransitive Phrasal Verbs

The Transitive Verb Patterns

Transitive Phrasal Verbs

The Indirect Object Pattern

The Object Complement Patterns

Compound Structures

Exceptions to the Ten Sentence Patterns

Sentence Types

Interrogative Sentences (Questions)

Imperative Sentences (Commands)

Exclamatory Sentences

Punctuation and the Sentence Patterns

Diagramming the Sentence Patterns

Notes on the Diagrams

The Main Line

The Noun Phrase

The Verb Phrase

The Prepositional Phrase

Compound Structures

Punctuation

4. Expanding the Main Verb

The Five Verb Forms

The Irregular Be

Auxiliary–Verb Combinations

The Modal Auxiliaries

The “Future Tense”

The Subjunctive Mood

Tense and Aspect

Using the Verb Forms

Exceptions to the Verb=Expansion Rule

The Stand-In Auxiliary Do

The Verb System of African American Vernacular English

5. Changing Sentence Focus

The Passive Voice

The Passive Get

The Transitive-Passive Relationship

Patterns VIII to X in Passive Voice

Changing Passive Voice to Active Voice

The Passive Voice in Prose

Other Passive Purposes

The There Transformation

Cleft Sentences

Part III: Expanding the Sentence

All chapters in Part III have Key Terms, Sentences for Practice, Questions for Discussion, and Classroom Applications

Form and Function

6. Modifiers of the Verb: Adverbials

The Moveable Adverbials

Adverbs

Prepositional Phrases

Nouns and Noun Phrases

Verb Phrases

Dangling Infinitives

Participles as Adverbials

Clauses

Punctuation of Adverbials

7. Modifers of the Noun: Adjectivals

The Determiner

Adjectives and Nouns

Prenoun participles

Prepositional Phrases

Relative Clauses

Participial Phrases

Passive Participles

Movable Participles

The Participle as Object Complement

Participles as Adjectivals or Adverbials

Punctuation of Clauses and Participles

Multiple Modifiers

Other Postnoun Modifiers

Infinitives

Noun Phrases

Adjectives

Adverbs

8. The Noun Phrase Functions: Nominals

The Nominal Slots

Appositives

Punctuation of Appositives

Noun Phrase Substitutes

Gerunds

The Pattern of the Gerund

The Subject of the Gerund

Dangling Gerunds

Infinitives

The Subject of the Infinitive

Nominal Clauses

The Expletive That

Interrogatives

Yes/No Interrogatives

Punctuation of Nominal Clauses

Nominals as Delayed Subjects

9. Sentence Modifiers

Nouns of Direct Address: The Vocatives

Interjections

Subordinate Clauses

Punctuation of Subordinate Clauses

Elliptical Clauses

Absolute Phrases

Appositives

Relative Clauses

10. Coordination

Coordination within the Sentence

Punctuation

Elliptical Coordinate Structures

Subject–Verb Agreement

Parallel Structure

Coordinating Complete Sentences

Conjunctions

Semicolons

Colons

Diagramming the Compound Sentence

Part IV: Words and Word Classes

All chapters in Part IV have Key Terms, Questions for Discussion, and Classroom Applications